To ensure regular and prompt payment of wages and to prevent the exploitation of a wage earner by prohibiting arbitrary fines and deductions from his wages

It applies to persons employed in any factory to persons employed (otherwise than in a factory) upon any railway by a railway administration or either directly or through a sub-contractor by a person fulfilling a contract with a railway administration and to persons employed in an industrial or other establishment.

Every employer shall be responsible for the payment to persons employed by him of all wages required to be paid under this Act.

Any railway factory or industrial or other establishment upon or in which less than 1000 persons are employed shall be paid before the expiry of the 7th day.

When more than 1000 workers, before the expiry of the 10th day of the following month

Different punishments have been prescribed for different types of offences.